1 From
the Ringgold Regiment 12/31/1861 Page 2
Column 3 1
From the Ringgold Regiment.
Correspondence of the Bucks County Intelligencer.
CAMP DAVIS, Kalorma. Dec. 18th, 1861.
Messrs. Prizer & Darlington : --In the last week’s
issue of your paper, I noticed the advertisements of sever-
al “ Ladies Aid Societies,” for aiding—the soldiers. The
thought struck me—“ What are the gentlemen doing?--
Are they spending their time in idleness while the patri-
otic ladies of Bucks county are caring for the soldiers in
the field? “ We greatly applaud our lady friends of old
Bucks for what they are attempting to do for us, and not
only hope that their efforts may be crowned with success
in their humane object, but that they may forever be re-
garded among the patriots our country.
The “ sterner sex “ at home may suppose that those who
carry guns and follow the music will be able to defeat the
“ rebel “ and restore the country to peace again. We
may or we may not be able—time will show. The work
is a great and important one; our future happiness, pros-
perity and freedom are dependent on our success in this
contest. It behooves every loyal freeman in the Northern
States to aid in this glorious cause of Freedom. I know
you are desirous of seeing this expensive war brought to a
speedy termination. The longer it continues the heavier
the tax will be; every day that it is prolonged increases
the tax you will be called upon to pay. Hence it is for
your own interest to aid in bring the war to a speedy end.
You may ask: “ What are we to do?--we have over five
hundred thousand men in arms, ready to give battle to
the enemy; they are fed and clothed at the expense of the
Government; when sick, their wants are provided for;
they are also paid, and we expect them to work for us on
the tented field and when engaged in battle, as they vol-
unteered to do; let them do what they offered, and all
will be right.” Friends of Freedom, who are enjoying the
comforts of pleasant homes and the sweet communion of
friends by the fireside during these long winter evenings,
we ask you to consider the magnitude of our enemy, before
you ask yourselves the question, “ What are we to do?”
You must remember that our “ enemy “ has always been
opposed to the special interests of our country, opposed to
Freedom: the noblest boon that man can enjoy.—Yet
thousands in the free States have voted for this enemy,
slavery-voted him into power, which he has abused by
way of rewarding those who in days gone by favored him
with their suffrages. This peculiar friend of so many in
the free states has reared his scorpion head against us,
and this day is threatening to reduce us to despotism. He
has been the cause of so many sons of Freedom rushing
to arms to defence of our cherished liberty. On his ac-
count you will be compelled to pay heavy taxes in the fu-
ture. In order to keep this formidable enemy in subjec-
tion, I fear the lives of thousands will be required. He is
to be charged with all our sufferings in camp, while we
are in arms against him. Friends of humanity consider
this subject well , and you will have no occasion to ask
“ What are we to do?” The duty of every man is simple
and obvious. It behooves you, in behalf of Freedom, hu-
manity, our dear country, and the duty that every one
owes to his God to unite as one man against our enemy.
Let him be fought on all sides; show him no quarter,
give him battle wherever he is ?, and let him know
that he is, in future, to have no quarter on the American
soil. Let Freedom be proclaimed unto all, from the great
lakes in the North to the Gulf of Mexico in the South
from the waters of the Atlantic, where the roar of the
cannon may be heard on its mission of Freedom to the
rough and rugged coast of the Pacific, where the monster,
slavery was not allowed to quarter. Friends of human
freedom! this is what we ask you to help us do. We ask
you to assist us in annihilating the enemy who is in arms
against us. It is not necessary for you to carry a musket
in aiding us in this important work; use your influence
against him, endeavor to gain the influence of your friends,
endeavor to teach your friends the errors of their ways.
Thousands in the free States are laboring under false im-
pressions concerning this matter. They have been mis-
led. It is your sacred duty to instruct them aright upon
this question. Let the days of prevailing ignorance upon
the slavery question be past. Slavery has been America’s
disgrace since the day of her first settlement; the time
for its obliteration has arrived, let us unite and commence
this good work in earnest. While we are performing
our part of the work in the army, let our friends, be en-
gaged in their part at home—the time will shortly come
when the glorious sun of freedom will shine over a re-
deemed land. SOLDIER.